The Trinovantes' first interaction with Rome occurred during Julius Caesar's British campaign in 55 BC. During his campaign, Caesar's protection was sought by Mandubracius, the young son of the late Trinovantian king, Imanuentius. In his account, Caesar places the Trinovantes under his protection – only after they accept his terms – and describes the tribe as "almost the most powerful state in these regions" (Caesar 5.20, De Bello Gallico). It can be inferred from this passage that the Trinovantes were in a less than ideal political situation at the time of their first interaction with Rome. This is probably because they did not have a king and were not the most powerful state in the region. A tribe known as the Catuvellauni, based in Hertfordshire, appears to have been the most powerful state in southeastern Britain at the time of Caesar's conquest. This is probably because their king Cassivellaunus killed the Trinovantian king, Imanuentius, in battle. If the Trinovantes were a powerful power in southeastern Britain, as Caesar described them, it would likely take an even more powerful state to defeat them in battle. Additionally, the Catuvellauni were known to be the neighbors and “traditional enemies” of the Trinovantes (Dunnett 8, The Trinovantes). Again, if the Trinovantes were almost the most powerful tribe in southeastern Britain, it is unlikely that the Catuvellauni were not the most powerful state, since they had defeated the Trinovantes in fight. Finally, Caesar describes the Catuvellauni as his “chief adversary” (Caesar 5.20). This description is important because during the Roman conquest, Rome often sought to eliminate the most powerful tribe in a region first, whether by brute force or through middle of paper......at l 'oppidum. in Camulodunum [flourished]” (Dunnett 30). One of the main reasons for Cunobelin's success, rarely discussed, was his ability to merge the Trinovantes and their long-time enemies, the Catuvellauni, under a single banner. There was probably a period of adaptation of a few years at least, and certainly at least a few scrimmages. However, nothing in the historical record suggests that Cunobelin failed to bring these two most powerful tribes together under his kingdom. Cunobelin, unlike his predecessors, realized that to ensure stability in southeastern Britain, the two tribes could not coexist as separate entities. Thus, by uniting the tribes, strengthening Camulodunum, and conquering other territories such as Kent, Cunobelin was able to create a vast and powerful kingdom unrivaled by those who came before him...